Adam Rubin

  (11:58 AM)

Thanks for joining me, live from Denver. Let's get started ...

James (Pearl River NY)

is the plan for torres to go back to the leadoff spot or is kirk staying there?

Adam Rubin

  (12:00 PM)

I'll have to ask Terry this weekend, but my presumption is that Andres Torres will bat leadoff with Kirk second, although maybe it makes sense the other way to split the lefties, assuming Murphy is going to bat third. I'll also have to confirm the plan is Torres in CF and Nieuwenhuis in LF rather than vice versa. It would make some sense to get Kirk exposure to LF. Assuming Matt den Dekker advances, and as good as Kirk has looked in center field, den Dekker probably covers more ground.

Jason (NYC)

Adam, Thanks for the chats, as usual. Do you think momentum is building in the front office towards an extension for David Wright?

Adam Rubin

  (12:02 PM)

I've gone from a few years ago thinking David was a lock to stay, toward leaning toward him leaving, toward leaning 75-25 toward him staying. The Mets are going to need to pony up $100 million plus, though. But if David stays healthy -- and produces, albeit not sustaining this level -- I expect him to get rewarded by the Mets. Remember, though, David needs to want to sign the contract too. I got the sense a year ago that he might want to choose somewhere else. Just my perception/intuition. Now, with things stabilizing a little, that flight probability is lessening in my mind.

Jason (NJ)

Thole is seconding the NL in OBP. When will terry move tejada to 8th and hit Thole second?

Adam Rubin

  (12:03 PM)

Because Torres is coming back Monday in Houston, and with Kirk's success, I guess Tejada is going to move back down after the weekend regardless.

Bryan (Montclair, NJ)

How are Nimmo and Harvey progressing thus far?

Adam Rubin

  (12:05 PM)

Brandon Nimmo, the top pick last year, is in extended spring training, so there's really nothing to report -- at least stat-wise, or anything. Matt Harvey is coming off a dominating scoreless performance against the Phillies' Triple-A team. And the reports are his curveball has been very strong the past two outings. Still, I would note his Triple-A ERA is above 4.85. A lot of times it's not about the stuff with prospects -- it's about the ability to consistently repeat it, outing to outing, pitch to pitch, and hit spots. That's where we are now, I believe.

Danny A. (Brooklyn)

Hey Adam,The Mets clearly aren't rushing Harvey here (nor should they). However, if he turns in a few months of fairly dominant work for Buffalo, could you see him here around the ASB?

Adam Rubin

  (12:05 PM)

Terry is fond of saying that the players make the decisions with their performances. There's merit to that, within reason. So, yes.

Zach (Hoboken)

Who is the long-term replacement for Pelfrey this season?

Adam Rubin

  (12:06 PM)

I think you'll see a handful of people in that spot. Chris Schwinden holding the spot for Chris Young in mid-May, and -- as we just alluded to -- perhaps giving way to Matt Harvey later in the year.

Scot (Washington, DC )

I'm guessing the front office isn't exactly crushed over Bay's DL stint, since it puts 500 plate appearances this season a little more out of reach. Am I right?

Adam Rubin

  (12:07 PM)

Look, Kirk has been a nice revelation, but I refuse to believe any front office wants a player to be injured. And given the scary lack of depth, I think the people celebrating the absences of Pelfrey and Bay are going to find out life without them may not actually be as good. People get very high and very low based on short spurts. How was everyone feeling after the Giants series? ("Oh, the 4-0 start was a mirage.") It's a long season.

Chase (Portland, Or)

Will Pelfrey be released? Non-tendered? Tendered? What's the most probable outcome?

Adam Rubin

  (12:09 PM)

Very likely non-tendered. If you tendered him in December, he would have to make close to the $5.6785 million he's making this year. That's not going to happen, especially since the recovery time for Tommy John surgery is generally 12 months, so you'd likely be committing to a DL stint to start 2013. The likelihood is a non-tender and Pelfrey becomes a free agent. He'll sign a one-year deal somewhere with a lower base salary -- say $1.5 million or $2 million -- and then have serious incentives that get it up to, say, $7 million with a full year of solid production. Will that be with the Mets? Never say never, but Pelfrey once non-tendered is a free agent. And a change of scenery may be best for him.

Chase (Portland, Or)

Is Colin Mchugh a viable starter option if Schwinden/Hefner/Batista falter?

Adam Rubin

  (12:11 PM)

Longer shot, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. I know one team that came very, very close to taking Collin McHugh in the Rule 5 draft for relief work. Wally Backman told me he had the best control on the Binghamton staff last year. I did a list of 13 prospects you may see at the major league level this year. He was the longest shot on the board, but I think he can be a major leaguer. I still foresee that it's more likely in the bullpen, though.

Lou (Brooklyn)

("Oh, the 4-0 start was a mirage.") It's a long season." That kinda stuff is perpetrated by the media. Fans who buy into that don't know baseball

Adam Rubin

  (12:13 PM)

I kind of fall into the 4-0 start being a mirage. Surely, you don't think the Mets are going to go injury-free for the next five months beyond what's occurred. Surely, the Phillies will get players back. Enjoy this. I'm not throwing a wet blanket on it. But say Heath Bell closes yesterday's game. Then they're a game over .500 in spite of a solid first month. They're a team that likely will win in the 70s, and I still believe that. That doesn't mean you can't relish watching young players who hustle rather than geezers.

Ira (Long Island)

Bay's injury obviously helps the Mets combat his plate appearance options for at least this year. Do you think the Mets can easily justify making him a platoon player for the rest of this year and next without the MLB Players Union getting on their back?

Adam Rubin

  (12:14 PM)

Grievances are nearly impossible to win if there is a performance-based reasoning for not playing every day. If Bay is hitting .350 in 2013 and they stop playing him on Aug. 15 at 498 plate appearances, then there's a grievance.To backtrack, Bay needs 500 plate appearances this year and next, or 600 PAs next year alone, to vest for 2014. The fractured rib makes it harder, but not impossible, to get to 500 this year, depending on the length of his absence.

Steve (Queens)

Would you eat your own hair if it meant covering a Mets no-hitter?

Adam Rubin

  (12:14 PM)

No

Danny A. (Brooklyn)

Hey Adam,Any update on Jenrry Mejia? Last I heard was that he was removed from a session for "overthrowing." Has he thrown since then? And is there a timetable for his return to games?

Adam Rubin

  (12:15 PM)

That's what I wrote. He's due to be on an every-five-days throwing schedule. If I remember correctly, that session he was pulled from was last Friday. So he may very well have thrown 2 innings or so two days ago. I'll have to inquire.

Matt (Astoria)

Can you tell me what actually went on with Heath Bell when he was a Met? Whenever he pitches in Flushing it's like he's having flashbacks or something. Is there a story we don't know?

Adam Rubin

  (12:18 PM)

Heath Bell was a very, very successful closer in Triple-A with the Mets. But every time he was called up -- and he was up and down so much they used to jokingly refer to it as the "Heath Bell shuttle" -- he would sit for days, then be used in two- or three -inning spurts. He wasn't successful, but a contributing factor was just how differently he was being used from in the minors. He also clashed with Rick Peterson, whether it was being allowed to rollerblade to camp in spring training to lose weight or pitching mechanics. Peterson wanted a certain sync between the left knee rising during the delivery as the arms went up too. Heath didn't operate that way. Here's Heath's 2004 usage with the Mets, by the way: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=bellhe01&t=p

Steve S. (Ithaca, NY)

Why not leave Kirk in CF? Has he ever played LF?

Adam Rubin

  (12:20 PM)

Andres Torres has played 72 games in left field (with 30 starts) as a major leaguer. Kirk has only dabbled in right field, not left, in the minors it looks like here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=nieuwe001kir I'm only going off what TC said a couple of days ago about the likely alignment. We'll have to follow up.

Rick (Bergenfield, NJ)

Yesterday, the Mets trotted out a lineup exclusively with home-grown players. It's been close to that all year due mostly because of injury or other circumstances, not neccerily becuase they should all be playing at the major league level right now. Gut feeling, Adam: who are the real deals and who is just up here to fill a gap? You can exclude Wright from this one.

Adam Rubin

  (12:23 PM)

Let me get on my soap box for a second, and not it's not a grudge: ANY team will have a homegrown lineup if it ceases spending on free agents and the external players it has (i.e. Bay, Torres) are injured. That's intuitive. The question is: How good are those call-ups. That segues into your question, which actually the SNY guys were asked yesterday. Among yesterday's lineup, Niese clearly has the most upside. Among position players, and we'll leave out Wright, it's a tough call. I don't know that there's a star there. There are a good deal of capable major league players, which any team needs to develop. I still think Ike Davis, once this whole thing passes, is going to have a long career as a Met and will one day be held in the same regard as a face of the franchise as David.

Erik (NC)

Why has there been so much talk about moving Tejada down in the lineup when he has been producing? Torres really hasnt done anything to earn the leadoff spot and last year Tejada hit 280. What am i missing?

Adam Rubin

  (12:24 PM)

Tejada has been extraordinary getting in runners from third, but he has tailed off somewhat in his production since a sizzling start. In his past 10 games, he's hitting .162. Check out the game log here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=tejadru01&t=b

Steve S. (Ithaca, NY)

Do you think that Lutz will play some 1B against LH pitchers?

Adam Rubin

  (12:26 PM)

Terry said he would, but then he backtracked and started Ike against Mark Buehrle on Wednesday. I suspect Zach is the demotion when Andres Torres is activated Monday. Logically, Jordany Valdespin is here as the middle-infield backup while Ronny Cedeno is on the DL. And Kirk isn't going anywhere. So the question is, does Zach get one start vs. a LHP this weekend, with the Mets seeing both Drew Pomeranz and Jamie Moyer. My gut is yes, given the depth of Ike's struggles. Plus, it would be a good thing to get him a start before he returns to Buffalo. I'm sure Terry would have loved to get Robert Carson into a game before sending him back, but the tightness of the games didn't allow for it.

Micah (Hartford)

Why do you think the Mets brass went with Schwendin over any of the highly reguarded prospects to get some experience. Especially since the rockies just aren't hitting right now

Adam Rubin

  (12:27 PM)

Why rush Harvey or Familia. They'll get called up on their own timetables.

Jim (levittown)

Odds Mets regular starting OF in August is Valdespin, Kirk, Duda? I'd say its likely unless season ending injury causes need for V-spin or Duda in IF or surprise contention leads to veteran preference.

Adam Rubin

  (12:29 PM)

I know it's the flavor of the month to love Jordany Valdespin. The scouts I talk to are not enamored. Too much head movement. Will have trouble with hard stuff in and recognition of off-speed stuff -- especially straight changeups -- guys I trust tell me. And these are the guys feeding reports to their teams about how to approach him.

Tom (Ft Myers, FL)

Planning on seeing the St. Lucie Mets this weekend. Who are the top guys to watch on the Mets roster?

Adam Rubin

  (12:31 PM)

Wilmer Flores had started to fade as a prospect -- certainly as an elite prospect -- but he is hitting .323 with 3 homers and 16 RBIs as he's moved off shortstop. Cory Vaughn, the son of Greg Vaughn, is off to a nice start too. Pitching-wise, Erik Goeddel was an overslot signing out of UCLA who had shoulder issues but is now there. He just tossed five scoreless innings.

Danny C (NY)

Any updates on Pelfrey and if he is getting the surgery? Also, who takes his place in the rotation?

Adam Rubin

  (12:32 PM)

I'd take 99 percent likelihood as 100 percent likelihood. The 1 percent is probably accounting for something bad happening on the way to Birmingham.

Micah (Hartford)

What can we expect from Schwedin? What kind of pitcher is he?

Adam Rubin

  (12:32 PM)

89 mph fastball. Not exceptional. He's probably a guy who is up and down in his career, not a full-time major leaguer.

Joe (LI)

If Fred wants to prove he has money and prove he's committed to winning this year wouldn't offering Roy Oswalt a contract be a good thing to do with Pelfrey done for the year? Something like 6 million for one year?

Adam Rubin

  (12:33 PM)

Cannot foresee this happening. And, as much as everyone is misguidedly celebrating the Mets' money woes being over, they're not.

Chris (West Chester)

When will Chris Young be ready to step in?

Adam Rubin

  (12:35 PM)

Dan Warthen told me a week ago that Young could be in a game in two weeks. So I suppose that's next week. Mid-May, barring a setback, is the projected day of availability. Remember, though, Johan had the same procedure and had false starts last summer trying to come back. Young had the procedure last May 16. This is a quick return given the gravity of the procedure.

JOHN (UPSTATE)

Reyes has liked to say that the Mets never offered him a contract, but isn't it likely that his agent already knew what the Mets were willing to offer and once it got outside that range what would be the point of sending and offer of less? Would Jose have signed for less to stay in NY?

Adam Rubin

  (12:38 PM)

Precisely. The whole thing is semantical. The Mets never made an offer because the agent told them the offer they were willing to make (five years, with a vesting option that would have raised the value to $100 million in Year 6 if he was healthy) already had been comfortably surpassed by the Marlins, I'm told. And the likelihood is Miami would have gone higher, too. We can debate whether Reyes would have stayed for $1 less. He would have, is my opinion. But for a year less guaranteed? No way. And not many people would. You remember when Tom Glavine left Atlanta for the Mets? He never wanted to leave the Braves. Among the factors is the Players Association pushing for players always to take the high offer, because it sets the bar higher for future free agents.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

Will the Mets miss P Mike Pelfrey since he is Out for the season?

Adam Rubin

  (12:39 PM)

Yes. I know everyone makes fun of being an "innings eater." But beyond the disparity in performance between Pelfrey and Schwinden (or whomever it winds up being), there's also the extra innings logged by the bullpen. That won't manifest itself right away. But it will have a subtle effect over the course of 162 games.

Ira (Long Island)

With the money woes you say the Mets still have, is it fair to say instead that the financial situation is at the very least "stable?"

Adam Rubin

  (12:40 PM)

Stable is fair. There's no one going to foreclose on anything. But part of the business model for the next couple of years, barring the team really surprising and fans flooding Citi Field this year, is continued austerity. I have a hard time envisioning the payroll much more than $100 million the next couple of years. And someone I know in the organization believes -- has been told, I should say -- the same thing.

Mike (Queens)

Why are you so miserable?

Adam Rubin

  (12:40 PM)

Miserable? Realistic? One or the other.

Frank (Binghamton)

What's going on with Pedro Beato?

Adam Rubin

  (12:42 PM)

Same conversation I had with Dan Warthen, he was making shoulder progress, but hadn't really done anything notable. That was a week ago. I'm sure he's not in a terrible rush. He'll stop getting major league pay and service time and be in Buffalo when he's healthy. I'm not implying anything sinister, but that's generally the way it works with injured players bound for the minors when they're ready.

CC (Atlanta)

Forgetting the Mets for a sec, what's your early opinion on the good team in the NL East? Nats look good but have played the worst teams in the league. Braves looks solid. Marlins and Philly not so much. What's your future outlook?

Adam Rubin

  (12:43 PM)

I picked the Nats to reach the World Series. Looking pretty good, at the moment. They're pitching isn't going away -- I don't care the opponent. Everyone talks about Stephen Strasburg, but scouts have been excitedly talking about Jordan Zimmermann for more than a year.

Jonathan (San Francisco)

The entire group of beat reporters on Twitter are realistic - you are the one who stands out as having some sort of grudge. It is so obvious to everyone who reads you.

Adam Rubin

  (12:43 PM)

There's a solution for that: unfollow.

Steve S. (Ithaca, NY)

How soon will be see Wheeler in Buffalo?

Adam Rubin

  (12:44 PM)

I wouldn't be surprised if he spends at least two-thirds of the season in Binghamton -- or even a full season. There's really no rush with these things.

Fred (Iowa)

Is Santana going to be getting extra rest throughout the season?

Adam Rubin

  (12:45 PM)

They're going with a five-man rotation for now, although pre-Pelfrey injury in spring training they floated a six-man when Chris Young was ready. Sunday will be interesting. It will mark the first time during the regular season Santana will be pitching every fifth day.

Ron Davis (Rockaway NJ )

If you were to give Daniel Murphy a grade on defense i know he is not Joe Morgan or Doug Flynn defensivly but how much do you think he has improved i give him a B+

Adam Rubin

  (12:46 PM)

I'd like to be in your class.

james (ny)

how is Den Dekker doing anyways

Adam Rubin

  (12:48 PM)

Striking out less frequently, which is the goal. Recently moved to the leadoff spot, from No. 3, but that about taking pressure off a teammate and injuries. With Double-A Binghamton, he's hitting .308 with three homers and eight RBIs in 78 at-bats. Two steals in five attempts. 18 strikeouts. He struck out 91 times in 272 Double-A at-bats during the second half of last season, so there's definite progress.

James (Brooklyn)

Do you think that the new dimensions at CitiField will help the Mets or their opponents more this season?

Adam Rubin

  (12:48 PM)

Mets, conceivably, since the dimensions were more likely to be in their head previously -- playing 81 games there. But so far it's just a 4-3 advantage in homers this season that would not have been homers under the old dimensions.

dan (ny)

do you think fred lewis can take mike baxters job off the bench

Adam Rubin

  (12:49 PM)

Just think Fred Lewis is in Triple-A, along with Dustin Martin, who also was just signed, because the Mets promoted Kirk and Valdespin and lost Adam Loewen to a stress fracture in his foot.

Ron Davis (Rockaway NJ )

If the Mets know Pelfrey is out fir season why not automatically put him on the 60 day DL and add another player on the 40 man roaster?

Adam Rubin

  (12:50 PM)

Why would they add a player to the 40-man roster before they have to? Then when they need a spot, they didn't necessarily add the right person. The only time you add a player to the 40-man roster without an immediate need is during the offseason, to protect from losing the player in the Rule 5 draft.

jack (ny)

how much longer will miguel batista be on the roster ? i suppose edgin will be coming to replace him ?

Adam Rubin

  (12:51 PM)

Well, D.J. Carrasco pitched two scoreless innings last night for St. Lucie. Can't keep him in the minors forever. So something has to give soon.

Ira (Long Island)

How much longer do you think the Mets will wait for Ike to get straightend out before they do seriously consider sending him down.?

Adam Rubin

  (12:52 PM)

I was told point blank there had been no talk of a demotion. But the same person told me that, look, Jair Jurrjens was demoted by the Braves, so there is no one with options who is immune. I was told last week that the struggles likely would have to persist three weeks from that point.

CC (Atlanta)

Why is Nimmo still in EST? Cause for concern?

Adam Rubin

  (12:52 PM)

He's probably headed to Brooklyn when that revs up.

Jack (Westside)

Hairston has been struggling this year. Any chance they remove him from the roster when Bay returns?

Adam Rubin

  (12:52 PM)

Nope.

Adam Rubin

  (12:53 PM)

Andres Torres is joining the Bisons tonight, by the way.

Adam Rubin

  (12:53 PM)

Anyway, thanks for all the questions. Have to run.